Walnut Room Reviews

The History of the Walnut Room is excellent. The Christmas Season is a special occasion to visit the Walnut Room. The tree is beautifully decorated and the seasonal holiday menu is very nice. The historic Chicken Pot Pie is must to eat.

I usually go to the walnut room during the Xmas period. Visited this time as my parents were in town: very good food, nice service and as always cool setting

I dined here with my wife and kids on November 29, 2019 for an after Thanksgiving Day lunch while visiting Santa. The Walnut Room is so special with the 50 foot Christmas Tree and all the decorations its the perfect venue for a holiday lunch or dinner and also while visiting Santa and shopping and a great experience. While they did have the buffet set up we opted to order off the menu. I had the meatloaf dinner and my wife the roasted salmon. The kids had the buffet and said it was very good and our entrees were very good as well. I highly suggest this place for a holiday visit.

Xmas tradition in Chicago: this is the place! The rest of the year the restaurant is worth 5 stars but during Xmas the service struggles to keep up with the amount of customers. Best chicken ever btw

Wonderful lunch in a nicely decorated restaurant. Had the Chicken pot pie and it was delicious. Service was excellent. Even though I was standing at the entrance, I needed to use a QR code to setup a reservation. Was seated immediately but thought the process was odd.

The food was ok but the ambiance of the Walnut Room from past Christmas Outings remains the reason we go. We were talked into the Buffett but will order from the menu the next time.

I was looking at must eat places while in Chicago and The Walnut Room came up - Noted as one of.the first restaurants in a department store, it is located on the 7th floor of Macy’s on State Street - We were three in our party and we all ordered the chicken pot pie, oh my goodness, we all loved - The Walnut Room was like a step back in time, just beautiful - I would highly recommend this place - We ate there for lunch

Menu online was completely different than what was actually offered. Our food was luke warm, not hot at all when served. Service was really bad. It took a long time to get a refill on my drink. The waiter brought my drink order as he handed me the bill. Menu was underwhelming and limited. Decor was nice as usual but didn’t make up for the food or service. I wouldn’t come back

I have been coming to the Walnut Room during the Christmas season for over 30 years. There have been a number of changes, for better or worse. Our hostess and waitress were nice. Brought our spiked coffee to the table quickly and didn't forget our souvenir glasses. This year they have a buffet option which we decided to do. We enjoyed it very much. At $26 it is a chunk of change, but if you are coming downtown for the holidays, you are probably splurging anyways. There was a great variety of food to choose from: assorted cheeses, hummus and veggies, leaf salad, mozzarella and tomato salad, lobster bisque, mini chicken pot pie, butternut squash ravioli, asiago crusted chicken, salmon, vegetables, mashed potatoes. Someone was also carving roast beef and turkey. The dessert table had miniatures of key lime pie, brownies, sugar cookies, popcorn, chocolate pudding and raspberry parfait. I definitely would recommend doing the buffet. Only thing that I would suggest is that the soup and chicken pot pie filling weren't very hot. I saw other reviews saying the same thing so it's obviously not a one time thing. One other thing I noticed that might be a hindrance after Thanksgiving when there are more people waiting is that the 8th floor viewing area is closed off. You aren't able to go upstairs and view the tree from above--such a shame. We had many photos up there. The theme for the tree was Chicago skyline, so that was nice. I do remember such awesome themes in the past such as the Grinch, Harry Potter, Santa Bear, Pinocchio. I thought when the workers were cleaning out some of the floors they found some of the older decorations for the tree and window. How awesome it would be if they would bring these back! Maybe we got spoiled by such great themes, but the tree is still very grand and enjoy eating under it.

My wife and I were looking for a place to have a quick bite after taking in the sights and sounds around Millennium Park. We wandered into Macy's and asked the friendly lady at the information desk for suggestions. She pointed us to some casual dining options on the 7th floor, and said, if you're lucky (as in last minute cancellations) you may be able to get into the Walnut Room. We had no idea what she was talking about - this was our second visit to Chicago and the first time we've been to the area around Millennium Park. We went up to the 7th floor and were told that we may have to wait 2 - 3 hours to be seated in the Walnut Room. The hostess offered a friendly tip though - keep checking the Open Table app because open slots pop up in the app as soon as there is a cancellation. I followed her suggestion and as luck would have it there was a slot opening up in about 10 minutes. We grabbed it. Within minutes, we were seated right by the tree. I ordered the Eggnog Brandy Alexander. My wife had the House Red. We shared the Charcuterie Board. Service was slow, but we loved the experience, especially watching families come up to the tree to take photos. The tree was gorgeous. We had our photos taken by the professional photographer - a nice memento to remember our visit to Chicago. Go for the experience and the drinks ... not so much for the food.

Evening started off good with food, drink and service. 6 couples were seated at different tables by the windows and then hostess sat table of 18 with 10 screaming children across from adults enjoying quiet dinner. Totally not respectful of guests enjoying an adult dinner. Made for horrible end to evening and could not wait to get check and leave !!

Reserved through Open Table. Place was not crowded for 5:30 dining. Seated near window - DRAFTY. Soda machine did not work - nothing fizzy? No sweet tea. Lemonade was $2.75 per glass - no refill. Onion soup was served warm, but had cooled by the time I waited for a clean spoon. Food wasn't quality. Not impressed. Will not return - and those aren't empty words, either.

While visiting Chicago we just had to have lunch here to bring back memories of the Suncoast Room Restaurants in Maas Brothers department stores in Florida. Maas was ultimately merged with several department store chains ending up as Macy's in Florida. But all the restaurants were eliminated. While we are glad we had lunch here, if you look around, A/C vents, chandeliers, window sills are all dirty and need a good cleaning. Pieces of the ceiling are peeling away. If it had been any other restaurant we would have walked out but for nostalgia sake we didn't. Food was OK. Chicken Pot pie had too much liquid in it. Flank steak salad was good.

This is an annual pilgrimage for our family during the holidays and it pains me to give it this rating. First, the tree was lovely and gentleman who seated us was very pleasant. The food we ate was good and so were the drinks. The room is warm and welcoming. Unfortunately the rest was kinda a mess. Service was slow and not particularly good. We had a tub of dirty dishes sitting on the floor by our table. Initially I thought the buffet was a great idea as it had all the favorites on the menu. Unfortunately most of those favorites were empty when we got up to the buffet and we had to wait several times for them to restock. Even when we asked for something to be restocked it took a long time and one thing never got restocked. Eventually we just gave up. Even after we got our food we had to wait for silverware to eat it. The buffet itself was sloppy with food all over the table. We ordered the special drinks to get the souvenir mugs to add to our collection but we didn't get them and could not locate the server. Lots of employees chatting in front but not particularly interested in helping. All of this really diminished the experience. Even though we have done this for years I'd think hard before going again. Disappointing.

As a family we decided to visit the walnut room for dinner. Our waitress was fabulous and extremely friendly. She went out of her way to make the kids feel important tonight. For dinner we decided to try their new buffet. It had some pro's and some cons. The food for the most part was very good. We enjoyed the Christmas decorations. All in all we would visit again.

While visiting our daughter for an early Christmas, we wanted to eat at the Walnut Room. In all fairness, this was on a Saturday and the weather was unusually mild for Chicago and this time of year, so there were a lot of people downtown. We got a "reservation" time of 1:30 to 2:00 PM about 3 hours after arriving. Christkindlmart was about a block away, so several of us went there (leaving one person who wanted to do some shopping at Macy's) and found it absolutely packed. When we hadn't gotten "beeped" by 2:00 PM, we checked with the desk and they said "Oh yeah - get in the seating line". Thinking that we were close to getting in - and a 4 year old grandson who was getting fidgety due to the wait - we got in the seating line. After waiting in that line for ANOTHER 40 MINUTES, we finally got seated at a table in the back of the room. The food was okay - but really nothing special. Needless to say - our attitude about the Walnut Room is "been there - done that - won't be back".

So disappointing! Extremely crowded, over crowded. Loud. The restaurant should limit the number of diners. Cannot enjoy eating in such an atmosphere.

This was our first stop when we got to Chicago. The decorations were beautiful. I had read where they had the best Chicken Pot Pie in the world. Well, they did not lie, it was wonderful. Walnut Room Salad was also very good. We finished the meal with a huge slice of Carrot Cake and coffee. The scenery was beautiful and the meal was too. Make sure to get your reservations on Open Table so you do not make the trip and be disappointed.

Never having been to Walnut Room before, I was excited to go. It was after Christmas and the tree was down and I have to say, I was a little underwhelmed by the restaurant. We didn't get a seat by the window because we didn't have a reservation. The room was large and cold. I'm sure it is decorated beautifully as Christmas time. However, I had their famous pot pie and it was fabulous! The salad that accompanied it was refreshing and just enough.

The Christmas time here will be a yearly treat; but I recommend you start looking for reservations in September as it was IMPOSSIBLE to get any reservation by the tree in November-December. I was LUCKY to get the first day at 630pm! Overall, it was a fun experience (more or less); the table we had was definitely put in to have an extra table - it was tight and way to close to the table of 5 next to us. Food was great ($$-$$$ side -- but that's to be expected); Changing of the colors of the room: I preferred the orange as it was "natural" and easy to take pics of the food and tree in its natural light; it affected my sight a little; also I think prices are about $2 too much ;) Overall, though I would recoomend this is a Christmas treat!

I wouldn't go so far as to say the Walnut Room is fine dining, but it is refined; nice decor with a properly laid table setting, not a knife and fork wrapped in a paper napkin. Tablecloths would be a nice touch, but no one seems to do that anymore. The menu provides appropriate variety and thankfully, descriptions are not vague. Great full table service; staff are friendly, although personal presentation could do with a bit of work. It's a lovely place to dine for a special occasion/celebration.

I took my family on Thursday, December 23rd (right before Christmas). All of us really enjoyed the experience. The holiday decor was beautiful. Our server, Jesus, was amazing! The "homestyle" food was comforting. We shared a cheese charcuterie (appetizer). My husband had the meatloaf, and my daughter enjoyed the pot pie. The best part was dessert! We shared the carrot cake and cheesecake. Looking forward to returning, at Christmastime, next year!

This is what every downtown department store should have, but sadly, very few do. We went there for lunch. I had the chicken pot pie, which is their signature dish. It had a thick, flakey crust, with good chunks of chicken and thick filling. It was excellent. My wife had a cup of tomato soup and a quiche, which was one of the specials. Great all around. Service was a little slow, but we got there right at the opening. The room itself is absolutely spectacular.

The food came out really fast and was fresh. We came here primarily so my daughter could see the gigantic Christmas tree in the walnut room and see the fairy princesses. We got all of that and visits from THREE fairy Princess. My daughter was loving it all. We had a chicken pot pie, chicken tenders and Turkey breast dinner… All were great. They even sent my daughter home with a glass mug to commemorate the dining experience. (Free!)

What a beautiful and special way to spend the weekend in Chicago. My wife and I been to the top spots in town but nothing can top this. We were greeted by Genevieve at our table; what a wonderful spirit. She took great care of us. The food (brunch buffet) was awesome. From the lobster bisque to the carved prime rib. The tree was spectacular. The wife even got sprinkled by fairy dust!!! You have to plan ahead especially if you go on the weekend. We went Monday morning while the rest of the world worked. In any case you have to do this.....

Food was good and Macy's has kept the chicken pot pie. Beautiful diningroom. This has been a place that our family would meet for lunch over generations. Have great memories especially at chistmas time. Not the same feeling as when it was Marshall Fields but a nice stop while shopping.

Remember when you were five or six years old and your mother took you to Marshall Field's department store in Chicago's Loop to shop for Christmas and have lunch around the Big Tree in the Walnut Room? Well, it's been Macy's since 2006 but the Big Tree and the Walnut Room and all that goes with them are still there. Located on the seventh floor of Macy's at 111 North State Street, the Walnut Room was opened in 1905, the first restaurant opened in a department store, 17,000 square feet of elegance and comfort. Note the Cirassian wood paneling imported from Russia and the Austrian chandeliers. And don't forget Mrs. Herring's 1980 original chicken pot pie and the signature Frango mint cheesecake and Frango mint chocolate ice cream pie. I'm 79 years old and I still remember those holiday trips to Marshall Field's and lunch in the Walnut Room. And the Big Christmas Tree in the middle of the dining room. On our visit in December, we opted to skip The Great Tree Buffet in favor of lobster bisque, roasted salmon with whipped potatoes, roasted vegetables and tomato blanc and Mrs. Herring's celebrated chicken pot pie, an individual crock of creamy chicken, carrots, sweet corn, peas, leeks and a flaky pie crust top served with a side of mixed green salad. Another popular item on the menu is oven baked beef meatloaf with spinach, whipped potatoes, red pepper gravy, vegetables and onion strings. For dessert, we couldn't pass up the twin Frango delicacies, signature items that date to my childhood, the mint cheesecake and the mint chocolate ice cream pie with graham cracker crust, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. The Walnut Room is open from 10 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and from 11 a.m. on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It has been a Chicago icon, a holiday tradition unlike any other, since Theodore Roosevelt was President of the United States. Think about it.

We come here with the kids every year. Usually do Santa and then hit the Walnut Room but this year (sniff, sniff) they didn't want to see Santa. We usually come in the morning on the weekend when it's pretty insane but we opted for a Sunday evening this time. Wow, I'd recommend that for sure. Not as many of the little kids after 5pm and got a table with no wait. Tried the buffet for the 1st time this year and it was very good. I love the chicken pot pie and the regular serving is never enough! In the buffet you can go back again and again :) Had a bit of meatloaf as well, which was excellent. Good value, for sure. Love getting a picture of the kids in front of the big tree each year and the servers are aways very friendly and on top of things. We'll be back next year (and the year after...etc, etc.)

We went on a family outing to the famous Walnut Room. First tjere was an 1 1/2 hour wait, understood since it was a holiday week. But, once you pager goes off, (which mine did not because the battery died) you are placed in another line for 30 additional minutes. Why page you that your table is ready when its not? Service was terrible, ordered drinks, took 15 mins for them to come, order was wrong also. Once we could get her attention again, we placed out order and had asked for additional drinks. Soup was lobster bisque, which was overly salty and fishy tasting. Salads were over saturated in dressing. Still waiting for drinks, then told her to cancel the order. They were all ready she would go get them. Dinner/lunch, it is now 4 pm arrives, no ketchi p for fries or burger, and one person in our party did not even receive her meal. We had to get someone else to get it. Atmosphere was beautiful with the tree, but they need to step up service. Arrived at 1 pm, left at 5.

It's worth a trip to the Walnut Room inside Macy's to experience the architecture and history. The service is not the best (or at least the night we were there) and the food is good (not overwhelmingly), but the restaurant itself is a piece of history. It is fun to grab a glass of wine and check out the Happy Hour food menu to experience the place. The chicken pot pie is good, so it might be worth a try to you. It isn't a place that I would rave about, but it is a place that I would tell my friends to check out at least one time. It is beautiful and picture worthy. I've traveled across 4 continents and eaten at (and reviewed!) a ton of restaurants, hotels, and things to do. I would love to continue to share my knowledge about restaurants, things to do, and hotels with you as I travel to new places. Be sure to follow me on Trip Advisor to get my latest updates! Just click the 'Follow' link under my profile beside the review!

The Walnut Room is dirty with ripped leather chairs, food on the floor. Utter chaos- huge disappointment!

It was a bustling busy December day at America's greatest remaining department store: the flagship Macy's/Marshall Field/State Street in Chicago. We found a 3 hour wait at the Walnut Room so opted for bar seating to get right in. We were able to enjoy several conversations with some really nice people around us as we ate. The food? I was VERY impressed. The signature carved prime rib was fork tender, seasoned perfectly and the creamy horseradish sauce simply addictive. The cider glazed Turkey tender and tasty. The Salmon flaky and delicious. The Wisconsin Asiago chicken unique and wonderful! And the meat loaf? Oh my! Salads were crisp and very good. Vegetables were cooked perfectly. The butternut squash tortellini I could have eaten all day. Desserts equally excellent served in welcome small portions so you can eat more and not feel guilty. Exceptional were the minty chocolate cake, apple bars and Key Lime tarts. $30 is not cheap and the food needs to be high quality with that sticker. It is! Expect slow service and crowded conditions due to demand. But the food is worthy. Someone cares about what they're serving there!

We have been visiting the Chicago Theater a lot lately, and were looking for a pre-show restaurant and my wife suggested this. We always go here for the holidays, but forget that it's really a great, reasonably priced place. Visited on a Friday during Lent, and they had many options. The Clam Chowder and Buffalo Shrimp salad were very good. The Crabcakes and assorted cheese appetizer plate were very good but a little on the small side. The bread pudding desert was outstanding. The ambiance is great. We may have just found our new go to pre-show place.

We review a lot of establishments. We have had good and bad. The meal that we had today was absolutely the worst EVER. This place may have been the tradition in 1958, but those days are long gone. All that is left is some old dinosaur bones under a big old worn out Christmas tree and customers trying to relive their memories. 1. The soups were cold. No bread or crackers available. 2. The biggest laugh was some sort of salad on a piece of cold toast. Let me explain further. On the very bottom is one slice of cold bread with mayonnaise. On top of this is a hunk of iceberg lettuce. On top of this is ONE paper thin slice of cheese. On top of this is TWO paper thin slices of processed pressed deli turkey. AND, the finishing touch to this culinary delight, is a cup of thousand island dressing poured over everything. Oh, I forgot the one black olive on top crowing this marvel. When we complained to our waiter, we all started laughing. He said he should have warned me about ordering this "thing"---explaining that the only people that order it are the old customers--average age about 83--who box it up and take it with them. The manager came to our table and we told her about it. She said she had only been on the job for 3 days and was not familiar with items on the menu. She graciously removed the charge from our bill. No mention of the cold soup problem--maybe it just hadn't been out of the can long enough to heat up.

My retired ladies group visited the Walnut room in December 16th. We all live in the southern suburbs of Chicago. Upon arrival; one of the ladies had to go to the ladies room. While we waited in line, my friend hurried to the bathroom. Remember we are senior citizens all retired educators. The hostess walked over to me and said that my friend was not allowed to enter the restaurant until we have been seated. I calmly explained to her that my friend had gone to the ladies room. What did she want me to do ? At our age when you have to go,, , you have to go!!! We were then seated in the back next to the windows. The windows were so drafty and the radiators were cold ( no heat at all ) we asked to move but were told that that was not possible because we would have to move to an area with a different waitress. So we shivered through lunch. The food good but the food was lukewarm. One lady sent her food back to be heated. The only bright spots of the entire outing were the fairy’s that cheerfully walked around and the young man taking pictures. The rest of the staff were simply rude. I think we will have to find somewhere else to go next year. We are all disappointed with the entire experience.

I had the New England clam chowder, very rich and thick. The chicken pot pie was true comfort food. I had an extremely energetic and helpful server.

I love this Chicago classic restaurant. I've been here three times, and I've cherished the experience every time. On my most recent visit I ordered the incredible Wisconsin Asiago Crusted Chicken with mustard sauce, and it was beyond excellent. I had been hoping to order the quiche, but we were there for a late lunch and they were already out of quiche for the day. The previous two times I visited I ordered an extraordinary strawberries and champagne salad that seems to no longer be on the menu. My husband ordered a flank steak sandwich on naan with a side of sweet potato fries. He was happy with his order as well. He had previously ordered the chicken pot pie, which is extremely rich and hearty. To start, we shared a house salad with an outstanding sesame dressing that was very flavorful. The ambiance is fantastic with the white table cloths and wood paneling and extravagant decor. It's never been particularly busy the three times I have been there over the last decade, so I've always had outstanding service. I hope this Chicago gem never closes.

The changing light colors made my feel like a foil Christmas tree, or a stroke victim. Service adiquite and undersiving of the long formal waitstaff aprons. Field salad was a shocking half head of iceburg drown in dressing. A seprate plate is nessary to cut, tear, or shread the greens yourself. Chicken pot pie tasty yet with just a disk of baked crust placed over the stew. No bottom crust and none of that wounderful soaked gravy baked crust.

We ate there the day before Thanksgiving. We arrived as soon as they opened and did not have to wait for a table. Service was attentive. We had the buffet which was backed up a bit. Food was hit or miss. Somethings were very good others not so much. My children did not go back to get another serving because the lines were so long. We really enjoyed our visit from the Christmas Fairy. The experience is amazing and definitely worth a visit if you are in Chicago around Christmas time.

We were visiting thanksgiving weekend. I had read all kinds of reviews about the historic walnut room. We decided to find it and see if we could have lunch there. It was such a chaotic mess. Staff yelling about different lines. We took a few pics and found lunch elsewhere.

I really wanted to go to this restaurant because I heard great things about it. I was disappointed. The chicken pot pie was terrible, way too creamy. We ordered a cheese plate to start, it was enough for 2 and I enjoyed it more than the famous chicken pot pie. Please note, it is a typical cheese platter. The French onion soup was pretty good! If you go, grab table by the window to see partial views of the city and expect a huge dining area✝️

We were excited to have reservations at the Walnut Room at Macy's. The last time I visited there during the Holiday Season was when it was Maison Blanche. The food was bad and the Christmas decor was old and tired. Macy's needs to shut this one down for a complete renovation. I ordered a bowl of crab bisque, it was cold. I asked for bread or crackers...not available. I asked for the server to take the soup back and bring me a hot bowl.....returned it luke warm. The club salad is laughable....two slices of packaged turkey and a half head of iceberg lettuce, served on a cold slice of rye bread and one slive of bacon. Are you kidding me. The Christmas fairies looked like they're costumes were from GOODWILL...frayed and tired. This restaurant should be closed down on many levels..appearance, food quality and service. The coke was even flat...had to return it. How could a restaurant not have any bread........DON"T GO

Nice food and lovely ambiance. Very festive for Christmas with huge Christmas tree. Very good value buffet style menu with plenty of choice.

I arranged a luncheon for thirteen women at the Walnut Room. The reservation was done through Open Door. When we arrived at the Walnut Room at Macy's on State Street in Chicago, we were a bit early and the receptionist told us our table was in the process of being set up. We were seated at a lovely big table for all thirteen of us. The Walnut Room had a summer menu of choices for lunch. Many of the women chose one of the items from that menu. The rest of us ordered off of the full lunch menu. The prices were quite reasonable. The service was excellent. We enjoyed our luncheon very much. Thanks Walnut Room at Macy's on State Street, Chicago.

As a native Chicagoan and tour guide, I can tell you The Walnut Room is rich in Chicago history. For generations, families and friends have said, "I'll meet you at the Walnut Room!" You can hardly get a table at holiday times but it is always worth the wait. In the hallways near and surrounding, there are plenty of photos and artifacts to enjoy while you wait. I enjoyed brunch this past Sunday. The room is currently managed by Gino and you won't find a more genial host who cares more about maintaining the grand reputation he inherited with his job. Well done, Gino and your team! Thank you!

I was looking forward to coming back as it’s been a while since I dined here for the holiday, but if I could give zero stars I would as the dining experience was terrible. We had to ask twice for an additional chair as the table they sat us at didn’t hold the entire party that we reserved for. We were sat in the far back left of the seating area next to the kitchen. What’s unfortunate about being seated in the back left of the seating area is that they leave all the giant bussing bins along side the wall in plain sight so the only view we had was stacked up dishes that smelled like old ketchup and were spilling over with food. The only thing we could hear was the waitstaff and bussers dropping dishes into the bins every few seconds—it was loud and extremely unpleasant. The tables were so close together in this area that a single person could hardly get through an aisle, let alone a waiter with food and definitely not someone with limited mobility or in a wheelchair. There were 3 open tables further away from the kitchen and bussing bins that would fit our party. We asked the hostess if we could move tables so we could get some reprieve from the old food smell and the loud slamming of dishes every few seconds. The hostess said the kitchen was closed but said she’d ask the waiter. After 5 minutes and still no one taking our order, the waiter came to our table and we asked them directly. The waiter didn’t even have a chance to respond because the manager who was standing by the bussing bins heard us ask the question and shouted, “No! Sorry! But no! No one can move to a different table!”. The aggressiveness of the response left us in shock and was embarrassing —we should have just left, but we just froze. The group hardly talked after that. It ruined the whole night. After 30 minutes, we were finally able to get a food order in (they were out of pot pie and salmon). They gave us wet cloth napkins and one of our drinks came in a dirty glass that had lip marks, was sticky, and had finger prints all over it. We didn’t ask for a new napkin or drink because we didn’t want to cause any other reason to get shouted at. Like suckers we just put up with it and paid for an undrinkable drink. Aside from the whole shouting incident, the floors were covered in food and trash. I don’t think they sweep up the dining area throughout the day. I bet the kitchen looks the same. You’ll have a better experience holiday experience at a Cracker Barrel. I will never come back again and wish we could get our money back.

The place is nicely located. The food was just average. The staff was good though , they could get a burger for my wife ( She is Vegan) done very quickly.

Everyone should do this once! The food is very good--7/10 and the service is about the same. It's SO busy and crowded that I think they do about as good as they could considering the crowds and space. We had the buffet and it had nice choices. I especially liked the Asian salad. The pot pie that is touted had too much rosemary and thyme for me personally, but my husband liked ti.

Wonderful atmosphere for a very nice and emotional place. Suggested for a great place where you can eat delicious dishes in a very ancient and elegant sensations.

The Walnut Room during the holidays sounds like a great idea but when I arrived and saw the super big wait line I was in shock. I’ve seen it this long before but this time I came with my mom for her Birthday. Arrived there around 11am and they had already stopped letting people in the waiting line. The host advised us to go around the corner and add our name to the waiting list. We did and wow to our surprise, after receiving confirmation text letting us know our place in line, there was 50 people before us in line. We almost left and only 30mins later we got a text telling us to go check in with the host and we would be seated. We both got the Holiday buffet and it was a pretty nice spread. We tried everything. Everything was delicious. Their wait staff was very friendly and very attentive. It was super busy in there. But were well attended. I will be back soon.

We've been twice already to the new Sunday brunch offered at The Walnut Room. The first time, we had breakfast items, all good. Today we had all lunch items, and they were fantastic. The service is also excellent. The $26 price includes unlimited trips to the buffet, beverages, and even a mimosa or sparking wine. What a value! We'll definitely keep going back.

My cousins and I have been going to the Walnut for 8 years and this year we were so disappointed in the food. One half of the menu was the buffet for $26. and the other side was so limited one person in my party was upset as she does not eat chicken and the three choices of entree were chicken pot pie, Asiago chicken, or meatloaf. Two soups were offered and I had the Lobster Bisque which was very tasty but only had small slivers of lobster. Two of us had soup and the salad. The salad consisted of a large portion of ice berg lettuce sitting on a piece of buttered rye marble bread. I asked for the dressing on the side and the only one offered was thousand island. One olive , a small slice of hard boiled egg and a small slice of tomato. The turkey was three slices of deli turkey, not fresh and two slices of Swiss cheese that must have recently lost their plastic wrappers. At the end, we saw the dessert menu and there were three things on it. The Yule log which one of my party was really looking forward to. A cheesecake slice and a Frango pie with a scoop of ice cream. They were out of the Yule log and cheesecake! Our server was great and very patient with our group but the quality we had always experienced is gone. Would hesitate to go again.

Good food, but not memorable. Beautiful tree amidst this buffet at Macy’s provides holiday atmosphere, but roast beef was dry, and some sides were bland.

I have heard such great things about the Walnut Room and my expectations were high. Expecting a beautiful place instead I came across an ancient room with nice christmas decor. Don't get my wrong, the architect is of the Walnut room is beautiful but it needs a good scrubbing and REPAIR. The bathrooms were GROSS. The elevator floor was cracked and crusty. The carpet in the dinning area needs changing. The food was terrible. The only good thing we had going for us were the fairies which my daughter really liked.

The food was good, the service was very bad and very slow. Waited for the bill over 30 minutes. But the worse thing is asking the manager by the tree to take our photo, me my friend and 2 little boys he replied absolutely not , then he loudly asking us if we have reservation!!!!!!! I told him we just finished eating here. If he works for me I will definitely train him first before he works in public , such a bad image to your company and restaurant!!! I have a visitors and spending our money in a place like that to hear such negative respond!!!! Shame on him very disappointed to say the least.

A tradition for many, a Christmastime visit to the Walnut Room is a must. The Christmas tree is the main attraction in this restaurant with the meals prepared running a close second. The lobster bisque is great and the Asiago Crusted chicken, very tasty! They offer a wonderfu luncheon buffet also. Enjoy!

I so greatly anticipated eating at Chicago’s famous Walnut Room at Macys, formerly Marshall Fields. The room is beautiful and we were nice greeted and given a window seat… After a long while, our waiter took my drink order. Simply a vodka martini, up with olives on the side. It took a minimum of 15 minutes to get 1 drink. I got a dirty martini without any olives… not even on the side…not what I ordered. Hmmm. This was the beginning of the end. Our French onion soup had so Much broth in the saucer and in the messy broth was our soup spoon. Uhhhh…. Really? The meatloaf finally came out dry and over cooked with Luke warm mashed potatoes. Uneatable. My Asiago chicken was cold and so were my mashed potatoes. This was a disaster. Never again.

Every year it just gets worse. We keep giving the benefit of the doubt do to family tradition. We were here on a Monday night with our 3 children. $11 buffet for kiddies, $30 for adults. The service for drinks alone was 30 minutes. The kids ate before getting their drink. The food on the kids and adult buffet looked like it sat out for HOURS. The tater tots and mac n cheese were very dried out. The children were serving themselves and there were servers standing all around. The champagne this year tasted like vinegar. My husband had to ask for a beverage refill 2x, where were the servers? Not busy at all. Empty tables. The tree was a bright red hot mess. Not a classy number like the usual atmosphere. The food served to my husband and I was cold, but we wanted to get out after being there 1 hour and 15 minutes waiting for our food alone. My quinoa and kale salad was missing the quinoa. OOPS. It looked like it had been sent back to the kitchen and they reserved it to me. Garbage. The ornament section is only one you see on this floor now. They removed the large area from crystals which is now in the LL(basement) bad move Macys. Homeless people in the store. One in particular LAYING on the ornament display floor with bags all around her. Kuddos for letting her warm up, but pick her up off the floor and have her seated, not on the floor. Bring back the classics ornament section for Children as well as their parents. It was a wonderful tradition. FAO left a few years back, was replaced with build a bear, and now thats gone too. Customer service is gone. Marshall Field and family have to be disappointed in what this iconic place has become.

The Walnut Room is an iconic Chicago stop! The ambiance and historic beauty is worth visiting. We enjoyed the classic pot pie and meatloaf dinners. I highly recommend the key lime pie for dessert!

What supposed to be a nice holiday lunch turned into a ... mess. The time was around 11 am on a week day. The line to get into the Walnut Room (further referred to as 'WR') was long, awfully loud and disorganized. I was told by a uniformed staff running around with an i-Pad, that I will be #97 in line. In a snap-like manner I was explained that means that there are 96 people in front of me. Good to know. Realizing that I am getting myself into a total mess that won't get me anywhere in time and in holiday spirit to properly eat/enjoy the meal, I decided to have lunch elsewhere. I came back to WR , in the late afternoon for some drink and dessert : mint cheesecake for $7.50 and Frango coffee - with liquor - for $8.95, plus tip ~ round it up to $20+ . If you are willing to sit and dine in a overly crowded, stuffy, not tidy and a totally high-decibel place, then you you might try it. If you just want the drink - it's better to have at the Revolution Brewing (aka Frango Cafe) that is right outside the WR.

While I could wax philosophical about the wonderous place that was Marshall Field's on State Street, it would only depress me knowing it will never again be. I just have to face facts that this is a Macy's. I figured it will only be a matter of time before some corporate bigwig gets a "bright" idea and decides to gut the Walnut Room, so I decided to lunch there once again on a weekday. The overall atmosphere was depressing. The main atrium section (which used to be bustling all the time) was completely empty and the fountain wasn't running. The other dining room along the State Street side where I was seated, only had a handful of tables occupied. Those lunching there were primarily older women who were (like me) probably doing so out of nostalgia for the good old days. Unfortunately, the dining experience was also depressing. The waitstaff seemed to be going through the motions or were lacking in skills - from the so-called greeter (who was completely absent from the desk when I arrived and in the back chatting with coworkers) to the waiter. For example, I asked my waiter if the soup came with any bread/crackers and he said it did. When I got my soup, it had been sloshed all over and filled the saucer quite messily. And it didn't come with bread; the waiter evidently believed the crouton on the top was what I meant. Training the staff as to their product as well as language assistance would help. All in all, I am sorry I went to the Walnut Room under Macy's reign. I wish I had kept my memories of the glorious Marshall Field's days, when you could have an impeccable meal and a wonderful experience. This time, it felt like I was visiting a beloved old friend who was terminally ill, was being neglected by caregivers, and I knew I would never be able see again. So sad.

Did not check out the reservations early enough, but was able to get in 12/28. As we were walking to the back of the restaurant where they wanted to place us, I noticed empty tables that could accommodate 2 people at either a two-top or 4-top in the main room with the Christmas tree. Sorta put a bad taste in my mouth already. Noticed there was not enough wait staff, although Dominque was very friendly, she eventually disappeared and we had to have a table-cleaner to ask our server we needed refills on drinks. Service eventually improved (helped when we asked them to bring extra glasses of soda). One pet peeve..it was way too dark in the back. More light is needed! Not sure if we ruffled the feathers of our server, we recv'd glass mugs commemorating 115 years of the Walnut Room Christmas meals...not sure if they were giving them out free or not, but it helped smooth things over in the end.

A visit to the great tree in the Walnut Room is still an amazing experience. They now have a buffet that is well worth the price. They have fairies that go around and grant your wishes. (Lovely yound girls in gowns that put twinkle dust on your head and grant yourl wishes.) I have never seen anything as sweet as this. It is good for adults and especially for kids.

Listen you aren’t coming here for the food. For us, we didn’t know that ahead of time. To experience the tree and atmosphere, I do recommend the Walnut Room if you’re able to get a reservation. But do not come hungry. We got the pot pies as that is what was suggested. There is NO flavor. It was cold. Vegetables frozen. The desserts were okay. I’m unsure if it was a covid thing the fairy never made it over to us. She stayed at just tables during long visit (food took a very long time to come). The staff I am sure is overwhelmed during the holiday season but not one person besides the check in girl was pleasant. They all were rude and we found 4 in the bathroom cussing and taking photos in the bathroom. In future if we come back it will be for just dessert and get photos and sit by the tree! Had such high hopes and excitement about coming here but was let very down.

I was billed two (2) times for the same meal and no one would call me back to straightened out the problem. Could not get in touch with anyone to help me. Worst service and customer relations I've ever been through.

You have to experience it once in a life time. The wait was long, looong, but once in there, it is worthwhile, the nice buffet, the beautiful huge tree, the room light around the tree changing from red, to green then to blue, the fairies visiting your table and sprinkling you with magic dust for your wishes come true in the new year. The service was also very, nice! You have to take your children they will enjoy it very much!

We decided to “Splurge” and eat there while we were up there for our yearly Kringle Market visit.. The Room is very nice, the tree was Beautiful!! This place used to be so classy and nice. Now they offer a buffet lunch/dinner we chose to order off the menu which is the same food they serve on the buffet, except you only get one main dish, there is only 5 dishes to choose from, We thought the food would come quick, we were wrong it took a while. We were seated right by where the waiters and waitresses go in and out of the kitchen. We couldn’t believe the lack of class they were all whooping and hollering really loud, just hanging out with each other, those that were eating from the buffet were squeezing by us they out our meal. Our waitress was nice enough but didn’t realize we had no silverware, and no dressing for my hubby’s salad, we had to ask, they weren’t super busy, but all the hollering and loud boisterous way the help were made for a atmosphere one wouldn’t even expect to find at McDonald’s. I doubt we will be back..

This is a classic Christmas experience with the tree in the center and the hustle of people. But, I’ve never been overly impressed with the food. It’s just okay. Not expensive though and good service.

Nothing like going for some of their chicken pot pie. The Christmas tree is absolutely beautiful. Be prepared to wait in line although we went on a Tuesday evening and didn’t wait more than 10 minutes. It’s definitely worth it once a year visit.

After seeing the gorgeous tree set up in the Walnut Room we decided to stay for dinner as well. It was a weekday so there was no wait for a regular table, but there was a wait if you want to sit by the tree. We opted out and did end up sitting pretty far back. The menu is not that big because the main focus is on the buffet, I believe it was $25 per person, We decided to just order off the menu and not the buffet since it was late and we didn't want all that food. Our server was so great, she was super sweet and accommodating. I ordered the salmon which comes with mashed potatoes and green beans. The salmon was good but there was a bit too much of the sauce on top, and both of our meals seemed a bit cold. The plates were hot but the food was not. Overall good experience, especially just being in the historic location with sites of the gorgeous tree. If you are ever in the are for the holidays, you must stop at the Macy's even if it just to see the tree! Absolutely stunning decor from floor to ceiling!

What a beautiful place! I remember dining here as a child. It was always packed and there was always a wait. This time we breezed in for dinner. Then menu has shrunk from years past and the place was empty. It is still beautiful, the food excellent, and the staff very good. Probably a good place for a business lunch. Certainly a historic place for lunch or dinner when in Chicago.

This little gem goes back many years. It was in Marshall Fields and is now in Macy’s. The food here is incredible. Made fresh daily. Today they had cream chowder soup and clam chowder. Everyday the special change. Today was a salad with salmon on it and the fish was so fresh it melted in your mouth. The clams in the soup were fresh. Not chewy and salty. I love this hidden gem. I treated myself to the homemade bread pudding. Just like grandma use to make. With whip cream and Carmel. Love this place. It’s a historic landmark.

My wife and I went to the Walnut Room for lunch the other day. She has always wanted to go during the holidays and was very excited to have set up a reservation early enough to go this year. Our reservation was for 11:00 AM (when they open). We were there shortly before 11:00 AM, and I felt the entry process was quite unrefined for a place that has been around for as long it has. Two lines were formed: one for those with reservations, and one for those without. The part that made it messy was that there was no signage or indication of what the lines were. So inevitably, every newcomer with a reservation would walk to the front of the line trying to get in that way only to be told to go to the back of the reservation line. This bogged up the host area and significantly slowed down entry. The other problem was that the reservation line was also not set up to account for the time of reservation, so there was nothing stopping an 11:30 AM reservation from being ahead of an 11:00 AM reservation. This led to us not being seated until around 11:25-11:30 AM. It wasn't a huge deal in terms of delay, but it could have been dealt with in a more efficient manner to help alleviate some of the chaos. The ambiance of the restaurant was very nice, and our waiter was very friendly. We both ordered the famous chicken pot pie and felt it was good. Although, as a warning for those like me who prefer a pot pie to have a crust all around, their pot pie only has a top crust (it's essentially a creamy chicken soup with a pie crust lid). They also have a buffet option this year for ~$26 per adult. My wife and I didn't feel this was worth it, but it did seem to have a good array of food (essentially all of the food on their a la carte menu plus a few additional things like bread/rolls). We wouldn't necessarily make it a habit to go to the Walnut Room, but it was an overall enjoyable experience.

The decor at the Walnut Room is stunning! However, the queue to get in (despite having a reservation) was huge!! Once in the staff were pleasant enough. I felt the full experience was very rushed. The food came out very fast and was average. I felt I spent more time in the queue than at the table. A nice place to take photos but not sure I’d return.

I returned for the ambiance and for the restaurant's wonderful, comforting pot pie. Our enthusiastic server Miguel suggested buttery garlic bread (Asiago cheese), and I indulged. Wow! The atmosphere is slow-paced, elegant, relaxed. I sat, enjoyed the incredible view of the city, and took in the grandeur of the restaurant--paneling, fountains, and beauty everywhere. This is a Chicago pleasure which is being overlooked in lieu of newer, more trendy and stylized restaurants, but I enjoyed every moment. And I plan to do it again when I return in June.

What a complete joke the Walnut Room has become. From rude hosts to cafeteria quality food to a TACKY plastic and LED "Great Tree" there is NOTHING that remains from the glory days of this Chicago institution. Total tourist trap. The only saving grace was a friendly server.

Make reservations during the Christmas season if you want a table around the "Great Tree" or you'll be taken to the far corner virtually out of its site. Then hope you don't get a clunker for a waitress...we had to chase ours down every step of the way, waiting 15" to be greeted, another 30" for our drinks, another 45" for our food, long after others who had different servers. (We had to actually get up and walk to the kitchen to get our plates to come!) Too bad because the storied pot pie with its big chunks of chicken, tasty gravy and flakey crust was fabulous. So was the spiked eggnog drink. All the other staff was great--bringing us the free Walnut Room mugs to take home, taking our picture in front of the tree--so it's too bad they didn't screen out the rotten egg who brought our experience down 2 stars..

The changes to the “Marshall Fields “ beautiful holiday Walnut Room is so unfortunate. I can see the end coming. The limited menu is disgusting. I doubt there is a chef here. Maybe a cook who warms premade food is what everything tastes like. The buffet food is just as bad. I think they purchased all the desserts from Sams club. This place needs more than fairy dust. My last year, so sad!

First time visiting the Walnut Room on 7th floor of Macy's. Person that sat the two of us was very nice and made a point of seating us near a window with a view. The menu isn't very big, so it didn't take long for us to place our order. Food was excellent. Waitress was nice, but would disappear for stretches of time for unknown reasons (as the place was not that busy for a Saturday mid-day). I would return for their Chicken Pot Pie and salad.

The food was mediocre at best. Gave us the wrong desert. Did not like the paper table cloths. Just expected more from such a nice place.

Absolutely lovely!!! What a very nice experience. The food was great. The service was surpreme. The atmosphere was delightful. This could easily be a yearly Christmas tradition.

The staff was friendly. The server was very nice, she made sure everything was ok without being intrusive and even made a wonderful suggestion to me. The communication went very well. The atmosphere was just lovely. It took me back to a time when it was classy to eat at a restaurant. I had the chicken pot pie which had plenty of ingredients in it but it tasted just ok to me. However, the Franco Mint chocolate cheesecake was awesome! I will be back and order something else.

Stopped by around Christmas and it was an absolute madhouse- so much so we left. Returned in May and it was much more pleasant. Excellent Onion Soup, Pot Pie and Burger. Very reasonable prices, excellent service. Beautiful woodwork. If you like to stand in line, hear children crying, and have rushed service, go at the holidays.

We have had Christmas Eve lunch at the Walnut room for years. It is our family's tradition. We look forward to it every year. We were so disappointed to find a buffet jammed into this beautiful historic restaurant. Clearly a money grab! It really ruined the holiday atmosphere that has had us coming back year after year. The waitstaff did a great job of trying to put a positive spin on it pointing out that our favorites were indeed on the buffet but it was cramped and crowded. Next year we will stay closer to home and save some money. (shopping before and after in the store was also a tradition) shame on you Macy's.

Buffet was not worth $30 a person . Eggs and bacon . Potatoes were not good . Waste of money. Nice room .! But buffet not worth it !

My husband and I went to the Walnut Room on a Saturday afternoon, post lunch/early dinner. We knew that there would be a wait so we checked in and were told the wait time was "not bad - only an hour". Okay, maybe not bad in their mind but we figured we would walk around Macy's to kill the time. It was just around 1 hour later we got the text saying to make our way back to be seated "shortly". Going back, we were placed in another line and waited and waited and waited. We were watching as people were leaving, tables were opening up and weren't getting cleaned. When they finally were cleaned, no one in line was getting seated. There was no sense of urgency among the staff to get tables cleaned and people seated. We literally waited 1/2 more in line before we were finally taken to a table. Once there, it took the server another 10 minutes to get to us. We decided not to order off the menu for fear it would take another hour to get our meal so we opted for the buffet. The food was good but lukewarm at best. Nothing was hot - even the soup was tepid. Our server was just okay. She only came by to check on us one time. Luckily we weren't in need of anything. The bathrooms were horrendous. They need a lot of updating and need to be cleaned. I'm not sure how often they get cleaned, but with as much traffic as goes in there, they should get cleaned a lot more than they are. The good - The tree is beautiful and the ambiance is very nice. The bad - The wait to be seated, the lack of a sense of urgency among the staff and the bathrooms. The mediocre - The service once seated and the food. We left the Walnut Room telling ourselves we've experienced it once and don't have the need to ever return.

The downtown Macy's has a wonderful mosaic on the ceiling for those of you interested in architecture. The Walnut room is on the 7th floor and has dark wood panelling and large windows with view out over the city. Note that the happy hour does not apply to the restaurant so have your drinks at the elegant bar before sitting down!!! The food was an excellent value, though not fine dining, but still well prepared standards. Not very busy or crowed so a place you can go to before theater without a reservation.

We went for lunch so we could get a Christmas reservation before the reservations go-live next week. We almost thought they weren’t going to seat us because half the room was shut down for an event. Turned out fine. Staff are not very attentive but we had our meal and got the reservation we wanted for December

Come and see the window displays outside of Macy's and then make your way up to the 7th floor and get in line for a table. They do take reservations online, but you can show up just as easily, as the tables move fast. I had the short rib and it was so tender it could melt in your mouth! A special place to bring the family and then see Santa. Ask for friendly Rod to be your server.

The American classics on the menu were satisfying, and we particularly enjoyed the Sunday brunch buffet—perfect for a lazy day out. The service was attentive, making us feel right at home. While it may not be the most extravagant dining option, the cozy ambiance and delicious food definitely make it worth a visit for couples looking to enjoy a meal together.

Fantastic. I grew up coming here as a young girl, when only Sunday best was the acceptable attire. Fast forward 40 years & I find myself still smiling & happy in The Walnut Room. I’m an ardent critic of Macy’s & I’ll never get over Fields becoming Macy’s. This was the first visit where it didn’t feel…less than. I think Macy’s has stepped up their game. Marshall himself would have been proud of the service I got today. Pot pie….yes. Historic comfort food. Meatloaf….yes. Green beans & mashed potatoes perfect. The most impressive thing was that I ordered a Bloody Mary (mostly because it came with candied jalapeño bacon) When it arrived, there was no bacon & I sadly lamented this to our lovely server. Shortly thereafter the bartender arrived and said it was a menu oversight, left on from a specialty brunch & should not have been offered….BUT they were going to make some just for me! Sure enough, 1/2 way through the meal, 2 pieces of candied jalapeño bacon arrived. THAT is the service that made Fields the legend it is. The room looks great, clean, and still evokes a level of class & service from bygone days.

First off, get your reservations early, and definitely get on the OpenTable waitlist if the list is full. That being said, the OpenTable waitlist alerts were very sketchy. For the week leading up to our trip, I kept my cell phone open and unlocked in anticipation of availability alerts. I would click on the alerts as soon as (and I am talking immediately up receiving) they popped up and normally received the "You just missed it" notification. On the rare occasion that I did "get" the reservation, a very annoying response about their system/servers having issues would pop up. I was lucky enough to snag a breakfast reservation; however, it was for the buffet and my husband and son are not big breakfast eaters, so $30/pp seemed like too much to pay. Instead, we opted on going in-person on Saturday morning and getting on the waitlist - which is essentially a seating inside the wine bar at a long bar space shared with others. This was fine for us, just be prepared to put your name in and come back when a spot opens up. For us, it was 1.5 hours later; however, I heard others being told four hours later in the day. Kudos to the kind lady who was taking walk-in reservations. While she may have seemed stern or militant - she was actually very accommodating and great at her job. Ok, all that being said, I highly recommend a visit. The famous chicken pot pie was really good and very filling. It was also a really nice size portion for the price and came was a DELICIOUS side salad. None of the prices seemed inflated and all of our food was enjoyable. This was a definite must on our visit to Chicago at Christmastime and I am so glad we fit it in. Keep in mind, if you cannot get in, there is a "selfie spot" right outside the entrance where you can get the tree in the background of your pictures.

Our first evening in Chicago and we came here to enjoy cocktails and plan our day ahead. The tree in the centre of the dining hall is massive. A charming fairy offered to grant our wishes and sprinkled us with fairy dust. A great start to our week here. Became back another day to look at the Tiffany dome, pretty.

Been going here for the holidays for 15 years. Its a family tradition. We expect that it will be crowded and busy and that there will be a long wait. We take advantage of the wait to shop. We enjoy sitting under the tree. Every year we get the same chicken pot pie which is filled with huge chunks of chicken. My two now adult children enjoy this family tradition and we look forward to next year.

I have been going to the Walnut room for probably 30 years. My friend decided to take me there for my birthday last week and it was the most disappointing time I’ve ever had there. The restaurant was virtually empty and six couples sat near the window. The waiters and the managers positioned a group of 20 people right near our dinner. There were 10 screaming kids who were unruly and screamed for the last half hour of our visit. We told our server as well as the manager and they did not get it at all. It was a totally disappointing night and I don’t know that I’d want to go back to a place that holds such fond memories. Walnut room in Chicago, if you can’t go back to what you were you need to Move On and redefine who you are!

This was the second visit we had made to The Walnut Room. The first encounter offered great service, a high level of attention and great food. Most recently we were welcomed warmly, secured a booking without a reservation and seated. Sadly all took a dive from there. I ordered coffee and received a lukewarm cup, a second replacement cup - drawn from the same source - was just as cold. There was an obvious reluctance to make a fresh pot due to the time in the evening. I settled for water. The meal itself was of a good standard. We will come back - hopefully it was just a bad night.

My wife and I visited the Walnut Room for the very first time on Friday, January 4th. We’re long-standing Chicagoans and hadn’t been to this great establishment. We’d seen positive reviews for this place and ended up making a dinner reservation in November! The dinner buffet was exceptional, with classic and delicious offerings like hummus, Wisconsin Asiago crusted chicken, terrific meatloaf and carved-to-order roast beef. It helped that Christmas season ends on January 6th for them, so we had a chance to sit by the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Our server this night was Salvador and he was very friendly, polite and provided great conversation. He even made great menu item recommendations. We can’t wait to be back!

It is one of the best traditions of the holiday season: lunch by the great tree in the Walnut Room at Macy's. For us, a 50 year tradition.

So, so lovely. Couldn’t find a reservation online but they were able to accommodate our party of six near the tree anyway. They really try to please their customers. Food could have been hotter/fresher but it was near their closing so I can give them a pass on that. Service was great and atmosphere made it feel special. Will be back again!

I went to the Walnut Room last night with my mom and sisters. We had a wonderful experience. Everyone was so helpful. Our waiter, Marvis, was so kind and attentive from start to finish. We ordered from the a la cart menu instead of the buffet and everything was delicious! A great experience! Highly recommend!

Initially we went to the 7th floor just to see the Walnut Room but decided to have a couple of drinks since we loved the atmosphere. We also enjoyed a very tasty serving of flatbread. Since it was midweek, midday, it was quiet with only a handful of other patrons. Service was friendly and attentive without being intrusive. I’d love to return for a full meal.

Turned up late morning with our family, staff were extremely helpful to us allocating time for us to dine and were readily available to show us to our table. Jessica our waitress was so attentive and was very helpful to us, nothing was too much trouble for her. We opted for the buffet lunch every mouthful of food we chose was tasty, fresh and extremely yummy. Our young grandson opted for the adult food instead of the kids buffet and thoroughly enjoyed it, we all tried the famous chicken pot pie was great and I loved the turkey cooked in cider. So much choice and very very reasonable price. Highly recommend. The desserts ... finished off lunch perfectly. Apple pie melt in mouth, chocolate brownie the best.

This wonderful restaurant on 7th floor of Maceys Simply ouses elegance. It looks and feels like Simpsons in the Strand London UK restaurant except the Walnut Room beats that with fabulous views of Chicago from its location on the 7th floor. There is a wonderful bar to enjoy a pre dinner drink or cocktail. Even better with happy hour 5-7pm. The restaurant is only open till 8pm but is so worth going for an early dinner. The set menu of 3 courses for US$13.50 is best value to be had. But it may be inexpensive but there is nothing inexpensive about this restaurant. From the white linen tablecloths and napkins To the fabulous walnut walls and pillars, amazing views and great service from the hostess and waiting staff. They could give some first class hotels a tip on customer service. We had onion soup, chicken salad, chicken and leek pot pie (house speciality) mint chocolate cheesecake and white chocolate bread and butter pudding, washed down with lovely glasses of Malbec. Including service less than US$50.

We came here for a late lunch early dinner after exploring all the Christmas activities downtown. We got a regular entre instead of the buffet, but this was truly great. The food was very good sized servings, for the price, and the food was truly magnificent. Such a beautiful place to eat during such a magical time of the year.

We needed to see this iconic space and were not disappointed. The tree is impressive the atmosphere vibrant and the food was enjoyable.

We checked in at 9:30am on a very busy Saturday, December 8, with a family group of seven. We were told that we would be seated at around noon. We should have been told that we would never be seated, because that is the way things turned out. At noon, we came for our table but were told that it would be another hour and a half. At 1:30, we were told that it would be thirty minutes more, and at 2:30 we were put into a “immediate” seating line with two parties of six ahead of us. Finally, beaten down, we had to bear the news that “there is no movement” and it would be impossible to say when we might be seated. We threw up our hands and left, furious about how we had been treated. Bottom line is, do not go near this place with a large group during the Christmas season. They will not be honest with you.

Three friends and I went to the Walnut Room before an 8pm show at the Chicago Theatre. We arrived at 6:30pm thinking we had plenty of time for our dinner before the show. The restaurant was beautiful, the food was very good and the staff was friendly. The service, however, was SUPER SLOW! The restaurant was not very busy for a Saturday night, and there were only a couple of servers. I have heard many positive reviews of the brunch buffet so I would probably go again to try that. If you are looking for dinner service make sure you are giving yourself a good hour and a half.

The food was wonderful and the service was very good. We try to do this every year and never disappointed. The Walnut Room does a buffet for $30.00 per person and it has everything on it that's on the menu. You can get a taste of all their good food.

We had out annual ladies dinner at the Walnut Room! this year tried the buffet. Everything was absolutely delicious. The service was fantastic. The tree was over the top beautiful. The lovely fairy ladies granting wishes was very fun and loved by the little ladies at our table. I wasn't sure how the buffet would be but it turned out this was a great idea. I tried things that I have not had before and it was all really yummy! Go you won't be disappointed! So beautiful.

A lovely old place that needs some TLC. Menu was a bit underclassed but food was good. With some imagination you can see what it once was.

Very stylish restaurant within Macy full of history. I had the house chicken pot pie which was delicious. The room is full of grandeur and style. They even have a happy hour. The house red is very good.

A must visit at Christmas time. Scenic, historic, excellent service, good food, friendly patrons. Make a reservation and enjoy

The food is good and reasonably priced. It was nice to see that they still served Lobster Bisque that I remember from my childhood.

The best thing about this restaurant is the atmosphere. The restaurant feels elegant. Since its around 100 years old, the place is very spacious. There are floor to ceiling windows that allow you to look out from the seventh floor to the city of Chicago. It's very relaxing. The menu items, moreover, are very fair priced. By way of example, we had a bowl of French onion soup for around $6. It was excellent. We also tried their famous chicken pot pie, which also was excellent. Our waiter had been with the restaurant for about 15 years, so he was superb. It was very close to the CIBC theater (i.e., the venue for the Hamilton play), so we had dinner here before the play. At Christmas time this place is almost impossible to get into, but on a weekday night, there was absolutely no wait.

I recently visited with friends. The food was fantastic! We got the buffet, so you can start getting your food immediately. Loved the lobster bisque & the pot pie! I tried a little of the turkey & chicken which was very tasty. They also have a dessert buffet which we enjoyed. The décor for Christmas was wonderful. The Walnut Room has a lot of history & our server talked to us a little about it. Service was swift & friendly. We got there before 11am, which was a good idea. There was already a line, but we got in quickly. When we left it wound all the way past the elevators! I think you can make reservations too. I would recommend doing that if you come after 11am.

Two separate lunches this month..Both SUPER! Chicken Pot Pie, Meatloaf, Asiago Chicken. Feel free to drool. Priced at $15 and $16 and $16. Portions are generous and includes vegetables, and mashed potatoes in our case. Pot Pie a salad.Every dish was presented beautifully and served piping hot. Coffee served with a small metal tea pot for you to enjoy more at leisure. Every bite was scrumptious. Each meal cooked well. Not overly salty, vegetables tasted fresh, salad was large and mashed potatoes smooth and silky. The servers for both lunches were the best I’ve had in quite awhile. The tables were both by one of the big windows. Precise on the orders and timely served food. Knowledgeable about the food offered. We had 2 women first lunch and two men today. They were all so attentive. Water was never empty, coffee with the extra teapot on the table and zero rushing us out the door, even as it got busy. Attentive without intrusion and as we kept talking they put additional coffee on the table for us. We did get one dessert ;)….the Frango Mint Cheesecake! Very decadent. The Walnut Room is a tradition for many and has stood all this time with grace. Wood and chandeliers, tall ceilings on the 7th floor. Worth the stop.

This review is specific to Nov/Dec holiday time.We started making this part of a family holiday tradition when we moved to Chicago, but sadly, as the years have gone on, and as large downtown flagship department stores continue to struggle to find how to be viable, the changes Macy's has made - while understood in the realm of business viability - have taken some of the luster off the experience. On the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving, we were shocked to find that the Walnut Room was only open until 6 pm for dinner! We had checked the website earlier in the day and could not find anything to tell us otherwise (seemed to suggest open to 8 pm). Also tried calling earlier in the day and could not get the call answered. THe tree is amazing - great holiday photo op for all. The food average - and they have switched to a buffet with limited ala carte options, again understandable. But the kids buffet is very disappointing - limiting them to typical "don't try too hard" mac and cheese, chicken fingers, and tater tots. Why not just add those tot eh main buffet and let the kids eat from there - at lease some semblance of reasonably healthy options would then be available. Related - wanted to take the kids to Santaland after dinner - and that closed at 6 pm too! Again, no indication from their website. Hope the photo attached will help avoid any disappointment from others who might be impacted by the schedule.

Did some research before my trip to Chicago on where and what to eat, the chicken pot pie at the Walnut Room caught my eye! The pictures that other people posted didn’t to it justice! It was amazing! My favorite part of anything with a crust is the crust, everything else doesn’t matter. But for this chicken pot pie it was all delicious! The middle was more watery than I’m used to, more like a stew, so I was a little weary when I first cut into it. It was after I had the first bite that I forgot about all the things I thought was weird! It was amazing! The middle was so good and the crust was so good I can’t describe it in words. I regretted sharing this as an appetizer! I will definitely have it again if I’m ever in Chicago! It’s listed as Mrs Hering’s 1890 original chicken pot pie, if that’s the case I wonder what other glorious foods I’ve missed out on?

The Walnut Room is the place to go for a lunch with friends or family. It is fun sitting by the Christmas Tree. They serve a delicious Onion Soup and the service is excellent. A good place to go while shopping at Macys.

Great service, delicious French onion soup, toffee pie. Wife had key lime pie. Reasonable prices, nice view from window seats. Happy we chose this place.

Lunch at the Walnut Room at Christmastime has always been something I wanted to do and finally got around to. Beautiful tree to dine around. Festive atmosphere. Good food. Service was decent, but our server kept forgetting to bring us a water pitcher and extra salad dressing that was promised. Otherwise, an awesome and fun holiday outing in Chicago.

My daughter and I visited for the Christmas festivities. It was strange that it was very difficult to get a table yet the space was less than half filled when we arrived for our reservation time. Also there was just the 2 of us and we were seated at a 6 person table. Food was ok and as expected. It felt as though the event lacked any sort of lead ship and organization. Perhaps this is how it plays out each year. I was not the event that we expected. It was not even close to other special Christmas events that we have visited with our daughter over the years. Perhaps management should visit other cities like New York and toronto to witness other family Christmas events and learn. The staff seemed to have very little Christmas spirit and performed their tasks with very little interest in making the experience fun for everyone. The experience was a little sad.

For the last 32 years , we have taken our children and sometimes their friends to eat under the Christmas Tree at the Walnut room. In 32 years we have never had a bad experience. The food has always been very good and the service excellent. The memories (and pictures with the Fairy Princess) are Priceless. They also have a Gluten Free and Veggie menu.

I would never eat in the Walnut Room again if it were not full of memories for me. It is not the restaurant it used to be. I was there with 3 girlfriends before attendaning a musical. Our reservations were for 11:30 and the restaurant opened a 11:00. Two of my friends ordered quiche and were told 15 minutes later that they were out of quiche so 45minutes after opening they were out of quiche. The restaurant was not full. The service was terrible.

We had a family dinner here to enjoy dining near the big Christmas tree. There was a wait (on a Tuesday evening) and it felt like they were trying to cycle people through. Maybe our server was just efficient though. The food was good and reasonably priced. Entrees were mostly in the $11-16 range. The meatloaf was delicious and everyone else enjoyed their food. A sweet teenage girl dressed as a Christmas fairy came over and charmed my daughter. That was probably the best part of the meal.

As a former Chicagoan, a trip to the Walnut Room brings back a lot of memories. Great food, bustling crowds, and the tree at Christmas. I visited this week on a trip back through Chicago. Tuesday afternoon at 12:15, and the place was 80 percent empty. I sat in the main area, near the fountain. I had the place to myself. As the host led me to my table, I could see that the leather (or vinyl?) upholstery on a number of the chairs was cracked. Marshall Fields would have never put up with that! Still some decent wines by the glass, and the house (Macy's) chardonnay was quite good. Ordered a fish lunch. OK but pretty much Applebee's quality. No rolls and butter before the entrée. OK service. Server did check back. I used the washroom on the 7th floor after lunch. Several dead flies on the sink tops. I mentioned this to a Macy's employee who was in the washroom at the time, and he basically grunted. Again, a Marshall Field person would have been all apologies and reported the issue immediately. I imagine this place still bustles at the holidays. It's a tradition. But it's not worth lunch at most any other time.

3rd year in a row having brunch in the Walnut room while in town Xmas shopping. Is a must see! Gorgeous tree and festive decorations. This last year there were Fairy Princesses making the rounds to the tables visiting the children and adults alike. The Brunch Buffet was really amazing, haven't had a bad meal there yet.

We had a 5 pm reservation on Saturday after a 2 pm show at a nearby theatre. We were seated quickly. Very big rooms with many tables. We had a variety of entrees. Chicken Pot Pie, Meatloaf, and the crusted Chicken. All were pretty tasty. The White Chocolate Bread pudding was awesome. We asked for our tickets to be split, when we ordered. When it was time to pay, that seemed to be a problem for our waiter, but it all came out okay.

Wonderful establishment filled with history and character especially during the holidays. Get there EARLY to put your name on the waitlist...about 2 hours before you actually want to eat. Then take the time to explore nearby shops or the German Christmas Market. Once we got our table, we enjoyed the buffet which was new this year. It was very nice as we were able to get our food right away and sample a lot of different foods. The spread was quite impressive. The cream puffs on the dessert table were AMAZING! They just melt in your mouth! My kid-at-heart husband loved that they offered puppy chow as a dessert! I can't wait to go back again next Christmas with my family!

It has been over 20 years since I visited the Walnut Room and so carefully read reviews. A group of 5 went on Tuesday, 11:30 AM, no reservations were being accepted, for lunch. It was already extremely crowded and we were directed to check in using our phones, and was told the earliest seating would be at approximately 1:00 PM. However, about 5 minutes later a hostess escorted us into another line where we waited 5 minutes and then were led to a table. Impressed at this point. We opted for the buffet, cost $25.95 and although there were many options available the food was not warm. The meat loaf was delicious, mashed potatoes were tasty but cold, Chicken Pot Pie was good with large chunks of chicken. The buffet area is not well maintained and was a bit sloppy but the lines were short. As a matter of fact we were able to get food without anyone in line. We opted for hot tea which was served HOT, a plus,. and the lemonade was very good. Desserts were also good but the sprinkled, buttery cookies located near the mac 'n cheese and chicken tenders were DELICIOUS. Although the Room was plenty busy and large crowds in attendance the hostesses were polite, engaging and busy. While sitting we happened to look up in the ceiling and there you could see peeling paint and what was a poor paint job. The place is missing the old ambiance, elegancy and no Christmas music, just loud chatter. Our bill totaled $160.00, not including tip. If I had to return I would order the meat loaf and mashed potatoes ($14.00) from the menu and call it a day! Everyone in the group agreed that there was no urgency to return. My main concern is that many reviewers expressed the cold food but does anyone in charge really care or read them?

Drove in from the burbs to do lunch with my adult daughter. Hoped to riminess about many mother/daughter shopping/lunch trips of years gone by. Reservations were great, food wasn't what it once was, waitstaff made me feel like I was bothering them. The tree and room were as beautiful as ever. Killer was paying $53.00 (discounted rate) to park my car in the lot The Walnut Room recommended.

Eat somewhere else. Stop by and take photos of the tree from the 7th floor of Macy's or the 8th floor if you want another view. Then go somewhere else for food, maybe even the high-end food court which is on the same floor. Had lunch at the Walnut Room with already low expectations of the food since it was more about the experience for an in-town guest and to see the recently lit Christmas tree. Well, the service and food didn't even meet really low expectations. The menu is VERY limited right now due to the holidays as well, with them pushing the $25 buffet instead. Ordered Asiago Chicken dish with mashed potatoes and green beans. Chicken was pretty good but small, potatoes quite salty and green beans practically RAW and inedible. Explained the problem with the green beans to the waiter and a bus boy and the waiter again and absolutely no apology or accomodation or replacement for it. They have a salad which is a slice of stale rye bread topped with a hunk of iceburg then a slice of deli turkey, a slice of a hard boiled egg and a half a slice of a tomato and smothered with a cup of Thousand Island dressing. Uh, not really a salad and totally NOT worth the price which was about $12. Service was rude and awkward. Best thing was the tree.

November and December brings out the best of the Walnut Room for all ages as the beautiful restaurant is decorated to the max. Wonderful food, menu on line. Call/ reservations recommended. A local tradition. Wish ferries visit from table to table. Center piece is 35 + foot Christmas tree. Elevators available. Beautiful walnut panels surround the area. Great for single, couple, family, groups. Will definitely return again.

We have been going to the Walnut Room for years at Christmas. It is our family tradition that my husband has carried on since he was a small boy. We have seen a decline in the food and service in the past three years. This year was the worst. They now have a buffet or you can order from a very limited menu. Since the classic dishes were all on the buffet we decided to try it. The quality of the food was no longer there. The butternut squash pasta was left on the burner too long in the dish so it was scorched and the bisques were grainy. The dessert selection as awful and none of their classic Christmas desserts were on the buffet. Sadly, our family will be ending our tradition at the Walnut Room after a third dissatisfying year.

Although it was crowded, making a reservation 3 months in advance was the way to do it. Otherwise the wait was well over an hour. Tight seating made it hard to get up to the buffet

We have eaten here several times through the year.. This past time we were there during Christmas and we sat by the tree. The brunch was "simple foods" but really good.. Sometimes comfort food is a hit..

The menu is very limited. It is know for its Meat Loaf and Chicken Pot pie. I did not have either. My friend had the meat loaf which is her favorite. I had a cup of Lobster Bisque which I enjoyed. Then I had an Asian mandarin salad. Too much lettuce and not enough oranges and whatever else it came with. Our server was a sweet man. Bus kids kept my water filled. Larger tables had pitchers on the table. If going during a holiday, make a reservation. The people waiting was about a 3/4 of a block long. Two of us had reservations and only had to wait behind another party of two. A man in the long line was ticked off that we got seated so quick. I heard him ask the Hostess why we were being seated so quickly. You snooze you loose. My friend said she never saw it so busy before but had never gone on a holiday time.

This restaurant is very crowded for the holidays because they have a huge beautiful Christmas tree on display in the middle of the restaurant. The rest of the decor is plebeian. The tables are covered with white paper. The food was very good though. My wife had the pot pie and I the short ribs. It was great comfort food. The service was good if not harried.

I wanted to eat here mainly because it’s a part of Chicago’s history. The Walnut Room of the old Marshall Fields! I felt as though I was going back in time as I went up the escalators. Outside the restaurant there’s a lovely display with clothing tems through the past and history of the department store. Our server, Jesus, was wonderful! The humus was good. I got the French onion soup, very good. The Cobb salad’s composition left something to be desired. It came out as a half head of lettuce that you have to cut yourself. Draped over top are a few whole slices of turkey. Whiolr bacon strips on side with one measly half of a hard boiled egg on top. Very difficult to cut half a head of lettuce on a smaller plate and enjoy your salad. It was absurd. However despite that I still am glad I frequented this restaurant to enjoy a piece of history...

No matter whether it was better when it was Marshall Fields go there to experience a real classy restaurant downtown, with very reasonable prices, wonderful views and a new Muddy Waters mural across the street. Get the Quiche and a cup of onion soup. In case you don't have the time to relax, enjoy the wood paneling and the view go to a fast food outlet.

We were so looking forward to this and were not disappointed! It was our first time, and we loved the dinner, the dessert, the souvenir glass, the tree, and everything! We were treated well and made to feel special. I can understand how people might make this an annual tradition. We may even be back ourselves!

Was very excited about going here over Thanksgiving. Located 7th floor of Macy's. It is very family-oriented (kids) at this time of year. There is a huge Christmas tree/decor, with tons of seating. It was very difficult to get a reservation. Signed up for cancellation alerts through Open Table, per their recommendation. I got over 20 alerts that tables opened up, but was never quick enough when swiping on it to get one. Finally I decided to keep my Open Table app open all the time, with no password required to open my phone, and was able to score a reservation after receiving an alert. Food is excellent. Had a burger, mushroom ravioli, braised short rib, build your own snowman, mint choc. ice cream pie and double choc layer cake. Young women dressed as fairies came to tables to ask for wishes and sprinkle glitter (fairy dust) on your head. very charming.

We had a group of 8 for the Sunday Brunch on a rainy day in September. There were very few patrons on the day we were there. Waitstaff did a good job servicing our beverages and busing used dishes from our table. Food selection was very good with breakfast entrees and lunch/dinner entrees. A trio provided a musical background. The desserts were disappointing, particularly the cookies. The vast size of the room and the few patrons there made the visit a bit disappointing. Elevators were

This is a room of history and charm and class and a wonderful place to visit when decorated for Christmas. In the off-season, however, it's a different story. The place was empty on the evening I was there (which is fine if you're looking for a quiet place to eat). The paper table cloth overlays are a real detractor from the ambiance of the Walnut Room. Even with only a few other tables to take care of, the waiter got my order wrong. The pot pie is still a savory classic. Overall, a lot is gone from the old 7th floor at Marshall Field's / Macy's. That's evident in the Walnut Room alone ... especially when the Christmas crowds are gone.

What a magnificent experience. 4 of us girls on a hirks weekend went here for lunch. Everything was perfect. The atmosphere, food, drinks, service. Everything was perfect. I had the turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans. My niece had the chicken pot pie. All our food was delicious. Everything and everyone was so nice and pleasant. The ambience was beyond belief. We will definitely be back.

Great to see a buffet.....everything was good the food and the staff were wonderful. You cannot complain about anything. The queues are normal stop complaining make it a day to remember the staff try their best to seat everyone when they can. A great day CHILL , RELAX. ENJOY YOUR SELF......MERRY XMAS

I've been going to the Walnut Room at the holidays since I was a kid, back in the mid '60s. Love this place! I took my fiance there last night for an early dinner. He'd never been there before! I was pleased to see it was packed with families, a holiday tradition continues! We opted for the buffet and found the menu selections very tasty! The lobster bisque was delicious, as was the salmon, the turkey and even the veggies! Our server was very accommodating. I'm glad Macy's has continued this tradition. (I wish I could say the same about the decorated Christmas windows! Only four of them this year!)

My friend and I visit Chicago every year to Christmas shop and always go to Macy's. The Walnut Room is always decorated beautifully and is very festive. I always love to see the enormous tree and see how it's decorated each year. We timed our visit just right because normally there is a long wait, but we were seated immediately. They have changed to a buffet and it was outstanding. Our server, Vincent was great!!! The variety of food on the buffet was' unbelievable and everything I tried was delicious. There was even a separate table for kids and a large selection of desserts. There were several dishes I'd always wanted to try and the buffet gave me the option to try everything. There are princesses walking around with pixie dust and magic wands that sing to the children. Watching kids faces was so entertaining. Christmas just wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Walnut Room.

We visited to see the fab Christmas decorations and stayed for the buffet. Good food but truly excellent service. Prime Rib was very yummy and tasty! Desserts were so so but overall experience was great! Our server was excellent

Why aren't more people here for lunch? We greatly enjoyed a recent lunch at very reasonable prices for downtown Chicago. Plus, great service and ambience.

This 8th floor restaurant nestled inside the old Marshall Field flagship store, now Macys on State Street, is a delightful place frozen in time. You should visit while it's still in operation. Most visitors would not place this spot on their bucket list but for us it is one of the lost traditions of a past age. You feel you are dining during the 30s or 40s. We had a window seat with great views...sharp service...pleasant greeting. Food was great. The store itself is unique, multi-storied, and destined in our opinion to be one day not there. Go now.

It was disappointing to find a buffet offered as the main option. To make things worse, the food was terrible! The bill for my party of 6 (2 children) was $300 +tip. Which would have been fair if the food was great or maybe even just good, I mean, it's the Walnut Room during the Holiday's. But, my recommendation would be to save yourself the wait and find someplace with better food. Our service was good, hence the decent rating.

Beautiful Old School room, with excellent city views. We really enjoyed the Father's Day lunch, especially the live jazz, simple but well-prepared Caesar salad, and delicious Frango ice cream cake and pie.

I honestly have no idea how this place can get away with such awful service. While I know it is the holiday and we expected a wait, it was unsatisfactory. We got there at 12 and told we wouldn't get paged until 3-3:30 (the hosts were not kind either-they could have said this in a friendly manner instead of being short and blunt). We walked around downtown while we waited and this was fine. When we did get paged about 3:15, we had to wait in another line for about 15 minutes to get seated. After we were seated, our section was nearly empty and it took the server 15 minutes to come over to greet us/get our drinks. While he was kind, he could have stopped by at some point and said he would be right with us. I spoke to someone who I thought might be a manager and he said our server would be with us shortly. This entire place seemed so unorganized and poorly managed. The staff that was standing around could have been helping their "busy" servers to improve service. Once we got our food, it was good. Our appetizer (garlic bread) was never received either. The table next to us had their meal burnt twice. It seemed like any mistake they had (which appeared to be frequent) they wanted to compensate with a free dessert. They must give away a lot of desserts. Yikes. I was just so disappointed in the service and the experience. In this day, I don't know how a place can survive with less than mediocre service.

My Mom, Auntie, husband, cousin, and I kicked off the holidays with a super fun lunch at Chicago's, Walnut Room, on the opening day of, The Great Tree! And what a magnificent tree it is! Decked out in classic Christmas colors, towering over the whole room--it was pure holiday magic!!! As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by an incredibly friendly staff, ready to make our experience special! And the food was delicious! Mom loved the short ribs, Auntie went classic with the famous Chicken Pot Pie (was probably on the menu since the place opened 117 years ago!), my husband had the mushroom ravioli and my cousin and I went all in with turkey dinners! And yes, we kicked things up with pointsettia champagne cocktails, because why not? Dessert? Total holiday fun! We made our own ice cream snow people and my cousin had the Frango Mint Cheesecake--A perfect ending to our meal! Oh, and there were fairy princesses! They sprinkled us with fairy dust, gave us gem stones, and helped us make wishes right at the table!" "Cause we need a little magic......!" Our server, Lizbeth was terrific! Not only did she remember us from last year, but she went out of her way to ensure that every detail was perfect! She was attentive and ready to offer suggestions, making sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal and we never felt rushed! By the end, it felt less like being served and more like being treated by someone who genuinely cared about making our experience unforgettable! Oh, and the photos! There was always someone there to snap a pic for us, and the friendly staff was patient and cooperative! We purchased some professional shots from the photographer and they turned out so well! We left with some beautifully framed photos and a bunch of fun ones we'll be laughing at forever! If you want an over-the-top holiday experience with awesome food, the most gorgeous tree, and all the festive vibes, you have to check out the Walnut Room! It's holiday magic in a nutshell!

So many years my family went to Marshall Field's for impeccable service, magnificent selection, exquisite gift wrap, and lunch in the Walnut Room. Wonderful memories. We had been to the Walnut Room a few years ago, and we decided not to go back. Well, we went back. The tree was beautiful. We ordered drinks...2 of us. Our waiter was very nice, but got lost. We never saw him again. Another man came to confirm our order: Bourbon and Sprite; Rum and Coke. No rolls, bread, or crackers. Finally, our drinks came. It took 20 minutes. The drinks were fine. We drank them and left. Oh, for the old Walnut Room.

On the 7th floor of the Macy’s that was the flagship Marshall Fields, this restaurant is true to its name with elegant wood throughout, chandeliers, fountains, great views, and tables set so far apart it’s easy to imagine it’s your own spot. In the day... 30, 50, even 100 years ago...the place could hold hundreds or more, and the signature Christmas tree rose to the top of its 3rd floor. There’s a good sized bar too, with very generous wine pours (liquor also available.) Menu includes several favorites from more than a century ago, including a surprisingly peppery chicken pot pie, lush with chunks of meat & a flaky top. But don’t ignore the steak sandwich with the creamy horseradish sauce, double-fried French fries, lunch salads & Frango-based desserts (M-F signature chocolate mint.) Special seasonal Mexican menu also available, with great guacamole. The day we visited, there were 2 or 3 dozen diners during all of lunch time. Reasonable lunch pricing. I’d go every time I visit downtown.

We made a reservation to have lunch here after seeing Santa. First time eating here, but had heard about it for years. The food was OKAY (had the chicken pot pie), the dinner rolls they served were great, dessert was good. The restaurant is beautiful, worth it just to be up close to the tree. Kids enjoyed the fairy walking around granting wishes. I wouldnt make a special trip for the food, but if you happen to be at Macys or want to get in the holiday spirit its worth the visit.

The Walnut Room is THE place to go during the holidays. We were pleasantly surprised that they have gone buffet style, at least as an option during the holidays. We were able to enjoy several of their signature offerings. And, came away with memories and a coffee mug.

The Walnut Room is Christmas in Chicago. The wait is long. The food is nothing special. But, it represents the season. Don’t miss it. Lots of fun.

Eating at the Walnut Room during the holidays has been a tradition in my husband's family since his mom was young. We've gone a number of tumes in recent years. Foe the past three years we've gone for the breakfast buffet on Christmas Eve morning. Unfortunately, the past two years the service and food have been so awful that we've decided to stop the family tradition and go someplace else. The service is minimal. When we asked for coffee it came to our table cold. Not just lukewarm, bit COLD. How did it get that way? Did they just save it from the previous day and not heat it up? When we told the waiter it took 20 minutes until he got us more coffee and it was still cold! WTH? For the expensive price you pay, you should at least get hot coffee. Buffet was mediocre. The host and the fairy were nice. We're so sad that our family tradition is coming to an end. We'll still visit the tree, but we'll eat somewhere else. It's not the same, but it's just not worth it.

Go sometime besides the holidays Chicken pot pie, salads, sandwiches. Drinks are good. Calm place too. Nice change from popular places downtown. Good views of downtown,

I don't know how anyone could say the food is bad. It was all delicious and there were a ton of choices. To say that is really unjust. We had a reservation and were seated quickly, 15 minutes early. The room is just beautiful. Service was very good. The tree is gorgeous. To say anything else is a lie.

The chicken pot pie and salad were delicious and brought back memories of dining at Marshall Field’s in the past. I was saddened to see how few people were dining in this great restaurant.

We have one to the Walnut room as a family tradition for ever. But I don't think we will go back. We arrived at 10:am an was told be would be seated t 2 pm. Much to our surprise, our family was seperated into two different tables. We were told that we would have to wait longer if we wanted to sit together. THEY COULD HAVE PUSHED THE TABLES TOGETHER. I know it's busy, but they need a better system because when I went to the ladies room, there were empty tables in the back that would have accomidated our family.The buffet was fine and the the grandchildren ate off the kids menu. For the cost of $280.00 we could have gone on a small vacation. Also we had a reservation at 12:30 to see Santa. When we arrived, we were handed a beeper. After waiting an hour, we were told there was a "small glitch", Finally our beeper went off and was ushered in another line to see Santa where we were told that it would be at least 45 minutes longer to talk to Him. we left the line because we didn't want to loose our lunch reservation. We never saw Santa. I think our family will start a new tradition. Also my son and his family drove 2 hours to get into town from Wisconsin to do this. I went home and cried so hard.